Ukrainian officials say the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France plan to speak by telephone on January 9 as part of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebiynis told the 112 Ukraine television channel on January 6 that a phone call had been scheduled for the ministers, who would discuss preparations for a possible meeting of the four nations' leaders in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

Kyiv's representative to lower-level talks between the four nations in Berlin on January 5 said on Twitter that their foreign ministers "may speak by telephone" on January 9.

He had earlier said the ministers would meet in Astana.

Makeyev said that a meeting of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande "could produce concrete results" and that diplomats were working on a "draft document" the leaders could potentially sign.

Poroshenko said on December 29 that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande on January 15 in Astana.

But Hollande and a spokesman for Merkel have indicated they would only go if there is a real chance for progress.